How members can request a rollover

To transfer the whole balance of a super account between APRA funds or to an SMSF, members can submit an electronic portability form (EPF) through our online services. They'll need a myGov account linked to the ATOExternal Link.

We'll verify the member's identity and membership details before sending the EPF to the transferring fund for processing. You don't need to verify member information when actioning an EPF sent by us.

If members can't request the transfer online, they can use a paper form to transfer the whole balance of their account:

Members must complete a separate rollover form for each account they wish to transfer.

If members wish to transfer a part of their super account, they should contact the fund that holds the account to find out what information is required.

Receiving an electronic portability form

All APRA funds must be able to collect and action an EPF.

Checks we do first

Before sending you an EPF, we will:

authenticate the identity information your members provide against the information we hold

confirm they are members of both the transferring and receiving funds

ensure that the rollovers or transfers are not being made to funds suspected of illegal early release

for rollovers to an SMSF, check that the member is a member of the SMSF

ensure that the funds are regulated funds and not wound up.

We will not send EPFs to funds that are not subject to compulsory portability (such as defined benefit accounts or accounts with unfunded public sector super schemes).

You don't need to use the SuperTICK service to confirm the member's identity when processing an EPF.

Because the EPF message implementation guide (MIG) was based on the Rollover MIG, the EPF doesn't include the name of the receiving fund. You can use Super Fund LookupExternal Link to identify the name of the receiving fund based on its ABN.

Downloading the EPF from the Business Portal

We send the EPF to the transferring fund's Business Portal account. If you have a supplier, the EPF will be sent to the supplier and can be accessed by them.

To download or view details about a file the ATO has sent (including an EPF), first log in to the Business Portal using your AUSkey:

Select File status under the File transfer heading in the left-hand menu.

All files tested or lodged by your organisation or sent to your organisation will be listed.

Files that have not previously been downloaded will be shown with a status of Sent by ATO – new.

Files that have previously been downloaded will be shown with a status of Sent by ATO.

The EPF is sent in XBRL format to comply with the Superannuation Data and Payment Standards.

See also:

File transfer for information about how to download a file from the Business Portal.

Online transfers to new accounts

If your member opened a new account recently, it generally isn't displayed online until the account is reported to us on an MCS.

Fund members tell us the main reason they don't use the EPF is because their most current account is not displayed on our online service.

You can use SuperTICK to advise us of new member accounts. We then update the information shown on our online services for individuals so that members can initiate EPF requests to you.

Receiving paper forms

Transfers between APRA funds

The fund member can send the form to either the transferring fund or the receiving fund.

They are generally no longer required to provide certified proof of identity documentation to you (unless the form is being signed on someone else's behalf or the member has changed their name). You must use SuperTICK to validate a member's information before actioning a paper rollover request.

Transfers to SMSFs

Super benefits can only be rolled over to a complying SMSF that is regulated.

Using SuperTICK to validate member details

If you receive a paper form requesting a rollover and your fund holds the member’s tax file number (TFN), you must validate their details through the SuperTICK service before making a rollover to another fund.

If an 'unmatched' response is returned by the SuperTICK service, you must ask your member for further proof of identity information within five business days. If you have not received a response from your member within ten business days of making the request, you must make reasonable further enquiries of the member to obtain the information.

Example

A member, Brad, sent a rollover request to his fund asking them to transfer his super money. The fund contacted Brad the following day to request further information as his supplied details could not be validated by the SuperTICK service. The fund asked Brad if some of his personal information had changed since his last ATO interaction.

Brad advised he would get back to the fund with more information. Ten business days later the fund received no answer when it tried to phone Brad to follow up the request for further information.

The next day, the fund sent a letter to the address they held for Brad requesting the information. The letter asked Brad to either complete the enclosed transfer request form or provide further identity information.

The APRA fund has not breached the three day performance standard and can still process the rollover if satisfied that Brad is the member who requested the rollover and is the holder of the account.

If the fund has not been able to resolve the issue with the member and reports details that are still unable to be matched against our client register based on MCS reporting, the ATO may send the fund a notice under section 299TA of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (SISA) or a notice under section 299TB of the SISA.

Our commitment to you

We are committed to providing you with accurate, consistent and clear information to help you understand your rights and entitlements and meet your obligations.

If you follow our information and it turns out to be incorrect, or it is misleading and you make a mistake as a result, we will take that into account when determining what action, if any, we should take.

Some of the information on this website applies to a specific financial year. This is clearly marked. Make sure you have the information for the right year before making decisions based on that information.

If you feel that our information does not fully cover your circumstances, or you are unsure how it applies to you, contact us or seek professional advice.